Apple Valley cautious about Jones' return

Apple Valley boys' basketball coach Zach Goring said he will be "cautious" about the return of injured standout guard Tyus Jones to the court.

"I don't know when he will be back," Goring said Wednesday. "I'm not going to bring him back now until he's 100 percent healthy."

The junior phenom left during the first half of Tuesday night's game with Hopkins because of back spasms and didn't return to action. He played less than 6 minutes in Class 4A, No. 2 Apple Valley's come-from-behind 73-64 victory over No. 5 Hopkins.

Jones, one of the nation's most sought-after recruits, wore his street clothes when he returned to the bench in the second half.

"It's [gradually] been getting worse," Goring said. "We need to get him back to normal, and decided let's just rest him now."

Jones started having back pain during a 72-70 setback at the hands of No. 1 Park Center in the Breakdown Classic on Dec. 8. Three days later, he also played in pain in an 82-68 triumph over No. 8 Minnetonka.

The 6-2 Jones hasn't practiced with the team since the victory over Minnetonka. He averaged 29.7 points in the Eagles' first three games.

"He has been doing everything he can to take care of it," Goring said. "He has been putting heat on his back, icing it, stretching and going to the chiropractor."

At the beginning of November, Jones narrowed his college destinations down to Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Minnesota, North Carolina and Ohio State.